Ten Recommendations For Your Caterwaul 2024 Experience This Weekend
It’s another Memorial Day weekend which means that another 4 days and nights of loud, abrasive and exciting bands are descending on Palmers and Mortimers for the Caterwaul Music Festival. If you’ve got the stamina for 44 bands or you’re just planning on dropping by for a day or two, we’ve got our annual suggestion list on a few things we’re looking forward to (besides everything). – Adam
Who: Neckbolt
When: Saturday night 12:15am at Mortimers
Why: Neckbolt hails from Austin TX and brings a very unique mix of noise rock, psych, noodly riffs, noise and a whole lot of unique vocals. They’ll be (almost) closing it down on Saturday night so at the very least check out how the quintet fits on the Palmers stage.
Who: Part Chimp
When: Saturday 8:15pm at Palmers
Why: It’s extremely rare to see the UK’s Part Chimp here in the US so thankfully they were nice enough to end their seven-date tour right here at Palmers. Famously loud, Part Chimp brings a couple decades of heavy blown out riffs while riding that line between extremely clever and bone-headed neandrathal levels. It seems rather unlikely (this is a dare to prove me wrong) that we’ll see them back in these parts again so put this one way up on top of my must see list.
Who: The Austerity Program
When: Monday 6:00pm at Palmers
Why: “Two Guys and a drum machine” is The Austerity Program’s instagram very simple bio. Fueled by drum machines and aluminum necks, they’re most commonly compared to bands like Big Black but there’s a lot of unique things going in to the duo’s heavy industrial influenced sound. Their latest album from 2019 gives a bloody and vengeance filled interpretation of all the bible verses referenced in the title for a very unique experience.
Who: Thrones
When: Saturday 6:40p at Palmers
Why: I’ve been seeing Joe Preston’s Thrones for over 20 years at this point (was 2010 really the last time?) but it’s been a while since we’ve seen him come to town. Preston followed his time in the Melvins by becoming one of the heaviest one man bands. Armed with some backing sounds, big amps and his headless bass we’re happy to see Thrones on the lineup.
Who: Heet Deth
When: Friday night 11:45pm at Mortimers
Why: Chicago duo Heet Deth was a great surprise on an early afternoon last year and now join the first evening festivities at Mortimers. The duo’s (anyone else seeing a trend here?) self described “Noise Rock from the proto/post-Gay garage” occupies a space a little more rock n roll than some of the bands on the bill but is a super exciting and unique band to help kick up your Friday night.
Who: Oxbow
When: Saturday 9:15pm at Palmers
Why: It’s probably not a coincidence I just finished reading Oxbow singer Eugene S Robinson’s incredibly engaging book “A Walk Across Dirty Water And Straight Into Murderers Row“. I think it’s very fair to call them legends but instead of any descriptors I’ll just direct everyone to Adam J’s great interview with Eugene the last time Oxbow rolled into town back in 2017. Psyched to say the least.
Who: Couch Slut
When: Sunday 1:15a night show at Mortimers
Why: After being in my recommendation the last two years, missing the first year, and an unfortunate cancellation last year, this is hopefully my year to finally catch the band. Known for their intense live shows, I’ll say what I said last year again that they’re “dark, ugly, confrontational, and the exact right band to rip right through you in the middle of a Sunday afternoon” but this time about ripping through the end of your Sunday night into Monday morning at Mortimers.
Who: Djunah
When: Monday 7:30p at Palmers
Why: There are plenty of heavy duos playing the fest but it’s hard to stack up to Djunah. Donna Diane plays guitar, sings, and operates a Moog bass organ by foot while backed by the pulverizing beats of Jared Karns on drums. Djunah leans a little more metal, full of melodic riffing and vocals, ranging from anthemic to sludgy and all points in between.
Who: DEAD
When: Saturday 3:30pm at Palmers
Why: DEAD isn’t just another duo, they’re also from Australia. Consisting of a bassist and a drummer who both sing, they fall on the more harmonious scale of some classic riffing and some hints of 70s hard rock harmonizing. They come around to the US once in a while but like any other band from out of the country there’s no reason you should miss them.
Who: Brainiac
When: Monday 9:15pm at Palmers
Why: It’s hard to buy the old premise of almost any music documenatries “they could have been huge” claim but 2019’s Brainiac: Transmissions After Zero had me won over on a brilliant band cut short. It’s apparent that everyone else thought so too because after a succesfull reunion show of the surviving members and Tim Krug helping out for the late Tim Taylor for the film release, the band has gotten back out there for a few small tours (including supporting Mogwai in the UK). Brainiac was an incredibly unique band that we’re lucky to get a chance to see what made them so brilliant live one more time.
Caterwaul runs the whole course of the 3 day weekend from Friday night to Monday night. Tickets for whatever span of that you desire are available from their website.
